The NIH-Pentagon deal isn’t a cash grab. It’s a rescue. – Breaking Defense

The NIH-Pentagon deal isn’t a cash grab. It’s a rescue.  Breaking Defense

As global threats move faster than ever, uniting defense capability with scientific innovation is not a luxury, it’s an imperative, argues former Pentagon official David Lasseter. Last month, an Interagency Agreement (IAA) between the Department of War and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) became a political flashpoint. Stories raged of a “Pentagon cash grab,” of military plans to “tap huge sums,” and “outrage” over funneled research dollars. Ultimately, this was a misread of the situation. While it is understandable there would be concern about this administration’s handling of the NIH budget given previous cuts, these headlines mistook a legal, highly efficient acquisition mechanism as a hostile takeover. In truth, this kind of agreement is exactly what the United States government needs to be doing more of in order to ensure that the US military is ready for future Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threats.

First, it’s important to understand what actually happened here. Signed by Assistant Secretary of War for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical and Biological Defense Policy and Programs (OASW ND-CBD), Dr. Robert Kadlec and NIH Director Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, this agreement establishes a streamlined framework to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures (MCMs), advanced diagnostics and personal protective equipment (PPE). The agreement relies on the statutory authority of the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. § 1535) and relevant